“No matter what people say, no matter how good the rest of the side may be, you need someone to stick the ball in the back of the net.

“Any team who has that player who gets 15-20 goals is always going to be close – and Marlon has done a fantastic job for Blues this season.

“He’s scored goals that have won them games or influenced the outcome of games that have been close.

“When I was at Millwall, I tried to sign him from Forest. But it was the night I fell out with Theo Paphitis and it never happened.

“He went to Watford on loan and scored 22 goals as they won the play-offs.

“What is also good about him is that some players are unable to do the other things he can.

“Some players, if they lose that yard of pace, or they haven’t got that goal in them, they’re knackered. But Marlon, he can play. He’s got a great all-round game and he can create goals for his team-mates.”

King is on 18 goals for the season. Two more would see him become the first Blues player to register 20 since Claridge, who hit 25 in 1994-95.

“Good luck to him,” said Claridge.

“I really hope he’s able to do it. He’s a very important player for Blues.”

Meanwhile, Curtis Davies is hoping a partisan St Andrew’s crowd can contribute in tomorrow’s second leg against the Seasiders.

The match is a sell-out and Blues fans will be right behind Chris Hughton’s men.

Since the start of the season there have been no grumbles at all towards the manager or players.

In the two previous Championship campaigns, when promotion has been expected if not demanded of Blues, the pressure from the stands has often been overbearing.

But the faithful are not as highly-wrought now and will be willing Blues on.

“The place is going to be rocking, and they’ll also bring a load down as well,” said Davies.

“So hopefully the atmosphere will match the game and hopefully we’ll be on the winning end and going on to Wembley.

“Our fans have been magnificent this season.

“They’ve been behind us in every game, home and away, and they’ve had to travel all over the place in Europe. Hopefully we can do it for them.”